Good landscaping is a lot more work than some people realize. It isn’t as simple as just gathering up what you need and starting to dig. Proper landscaping requires careful planning and lots of know-how. Plant types, water schedules, maintenance routines—you need to take all of these into account if you want a landscaped yard that you can be proud of. Here are some of the most common landscaping mistakes to watch out for.
Poor Plant Placement
Location, location, location. It’s just as important for plants as it is for real estate. You can’t put whatever plants you like in a random arrangement without considering their individual needs. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do they need more water than other plants?
- Will they get enough sunlight in the place you want to plant them?
- Do they have room to grow to their full sizes?
- Are you putting them in the right kind of soil?
Don’t just assume that a plant will grow wherever you put it. Plants can be fickle, and it’s crucial to know their ins and outs.
Overwatering Everything
A lot of people think that without constant watering, their plants will die very quickly. However, many plants, especially trees and bushes, are tougher than you might think. You can mostly rely on nature to provide all the water they need unless you’re raising a very specific plant. If you start to see discoloration or wilting in your trees or bushes, you can amp up their water supply.
Having Too Big of Plans
We all would love to have a beautiful, sprawling yard that we can enjoy all year round, but this kind of vision can actually work against you. Remember that the more you landscape and bring in plants, the more maintenance you’ll need to do to keep everything looking good. If you’re not up to the task, you may need to dial your expectations back a little bit. It’s better to keep everything in moderation, after all—even your plans for beautifying your property.
Not Planting for the Future
It’s understandable to want your landscape to look gorgeous from the moment you finish all the work. Unfortunately, that’s not really how good landscaping functions. Planting things for the current season won’t give them enough time to reach maturity. You need to consider what will look good down the line rather than what you want everything to look like at the moment.
Not Doing Proper Maintenance
As we mentioned above, one of the common landscaping mistakes to avoid is overlooking the maintenance. Too many beautiful yards have gone to waste because their owners didn’t do the tasks required to care for their landscapes. While designing your yard, remember to consider the maintenance demands of any plants or hardscaping elements you acquire. You may not want to add another large chore to your list, even if it appears attractive at first.